


No Filter

by EmiAysu



Category: Natsume Yuujinchou | Natsume's Book of Friends
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-18
Updated: 2018-12-18
Packaged: 2019-09-21 18:44:04
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,226
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17048573
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmiAysu/pseuds/EmiAysu
Summary: A fight among friends and an encounter with an odd bird start off Natsume's winter break with a bang.





	No Filter

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Teuthida](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Teuthida/gifts).



It is a beautiful sunny day, if not a bit cold. The sun reflects off the snow painting a picturesque scene as a small ayakashi romps through the snow. Natsume is startled out of watching the little ayakashi play by Tanuma loudly stating his name, while Nyanko sensei snickers. Natsume and Tanuma are over at Taki’s house to celebrate the start of the winter break. He turns with a slightly sheepish expression to see both Taki and Tanuma looking at him strangely. They are looking at him with looks of fond exasperation and just a touch of fear.

Guilt pools in his stomach at the look, he hates causing them to worry. “Is something out there? Is it an ayakashi?” Tanuma asks while squinting suspiciously at the snow trying to see a shadow.

“It’s nothing to worry about. Just a small one playing in the snow” At that they both look at him somewhat suspiciously until Nyanko sensei huffs out a breath.

“The brat is telling the truth this time. It’s just a small fry and harmless to humans. Knowing this brat’s luck I can understand the concern. You really need to stop getting involved Natsume, you shouldn’t help everyone it is going to get you in trouble. You make being a bodyguard difficult.”

“Yes, yes sensei”

“Ponta’s right you know. You don’t have to help everyone, but you know you can rely on us as well. Taki and I may not be able to see like you but we are always willing to help.”

“Tanuma is right Natsume. We know you hide some of your adventures from us but you can always come to us for help. You never know we might be able to find something to help in my grandfather’s things.”

Tanuma and Taki are both so earnest. Natsume knows they would help in a second but he doesn’t want to involve them. Even when the yokai are kind they can cause harm. They often don’t have good concepts about what is alright for humans. It is even more dangerous for those who can’t see, not to mention he knows it will just make them worry. His face must give something away, and he wonders when they became able to read him so well, because the two exchange a long look with each other. It is not a look that he is familiar with and he feels a pit form in his stomach.

After a moment they seem to come to a decision and they turn to him with the most serious face he has yet to see them wear. “You would tell us if you needed help wouldn’t you?” They have asked this before and he has always given platitudes or looks and has always been able to talk his way around without actually answering the question they all know the answer too. They must read it in his face again because after a quick look with Taki, Tanuma continues, “We know you can’t always tell us things but if you truly really needed help you wouldn’t lie to us would you? You wouldn’t just not tell us.” Tanuma says with desperate eyes that Natsume tries to avoid but there is no avoidance here. And Natsume realizes that this is the true purpose of today’s lunch. He had thought it odd that they were so insistent that they start off the break with this get together. They had been shooting glances at each other all week after all. Natsume is caught frozen because that is exactly what would happen, and he knows no matter his answer they will not be pleased.

Taki joins in the plea now, with watery eyes that Natsume is nowhere near prepared to deal with. “We know you are just trying to protect us and keep us from worrying, but hiding and lying doesn’t help with that. We worry about you regardless. Anytime you are late, or seem sick, or even when you’re just distracted we worry that something might be wrong.” Tears are spilling down her cheeks at this point. He has no idea what to do with crying girls, let alone crying girls who happen to be his friend. As she continues to list all the reasons why he should just tell them he glances at Tanuma but sees that there will be no help there. He isn’t outright crying but his face is red and eyes are glassy, so he quickly turns to Nyanko Sensei. Actually now that he thinks about Nyanko Sensei has been oddly quiet. His mind blanks as he catches a glimpse of him sitting, no guarding the hallway door, with an unusually serious expression on his face. Natsume knows now that this wasn’t planned by Taki and Tanuma alone. No even Nyanko Sensei is in on this intervention.

He continues to half listen to Tanuma and Taki as they list their reasons and as their voices rise with downcast eyes. He vaguely notes that his hands are shaking and with that realization comes another. He is angry. What right do they have to judge him when they don’t know what it’s like. As time goes on all three of them continue to let their anger and hurt grow, it fills the room until it is almost stifling. Something has to break the stalemate sooner or later. Natsume is not sure what to expect at the end of this, he is angry with them, angrier than he has ever been with them, but they are his friends and he doesn’t want to lose them. He has never had the opportunity to grow this attached to people before. He has always been left or has had to leave before his relationships have progressed to this point and he can’t help but wonder if maybe this is how this friendship ends.

Taki’s next words cut through Natsume’s haze of anger as sharp as a knife. “What about the Fujiwara’s? Don’t you think they would deserve to know what happened to you if one day you just didn’t come home!” She goes to continue but it is to late. Natsume has been growing more angry and perhaps a bit more guilty as the lecturing continued but this is to much. His fight or flight instincts have kicked in and Natsume has always been more prone to flight. He is up and out of the room so quickly that it doesn’t quite register with the room’s other occupants. By the time the remaining three have realized Natsume ran he has already put on his shoes and is out of the house.

His speed is fueled by his anger and he finds his way into the woods before to long. After a while of walking his anger has left him and he leans against a tree sliding to the ground exhausted.

“Well that went well,” Nyanko Sensei huffed, while getting to his feet. “You brats better figure out how to fix this. I know you meant well and I can’t say I don’t agree but this wasn’t the way to go about it. You especially shouldn’t have brought up the Fujiwaras. Now I have to go after Natsume before he gets himself in trouble.” said Nyanko Sensei as he started to waddle out of the room.

“Ponta should we help you look for him? We just want him to understand he doesn’t have to take on everything on his own. Especially after that last bad one. He was gone over a week and the Fujiwara’s had to call the cops! We can’t help but think that one day he is just going to…...to just disappear.” Tanuma finished sadly while Taki nodded on. They had only been trying to help, to make Natsume see that they worried about him whether or not they know about yokai. That it would be better to know that it might be a yokai and get help from someone like Natori instead of just filing a report with the local authorities.

“Don’t worry brats Natsume may not be as powerful as me but for a human he is strong. He won’t be eaten that easily. He will understand someday you just have to be patient and find the right words, since he is so stubborn.” Nyanko sensei said as he waddled out the door. “Don’t go looking for him, he’ll need some time to cool down.”

Meanwhile in the forest a defeated Natsume sat against a tree terrified about what would happen next. He had never had friends before, at least for very long. He should have none not to get his hopes up, that one day he would do something that would push them away. How was he supposed to react to them once school started back up. Would they just ignore him, should he ignore them. He just wished he hadn’t made them so mad. He was brought out of his ruminations by an indignant squawking sound, or at least as indignant as a squawking animal could be. Natsume pulled himself up and headed towards the sound. He knew he couldn’t and maybe in some cases shouldn’t help everyone all the time but he could just never ignore a distress call. After all if he had the power to make someone’s life better shouldn’t he do everything he could to help. He knows he would always wish for someone to help him and now that the Fujiwara’s had done so much for him shouldn’t he pass that same kindness on. As he walked around a large tree he finally came across the source of the loud squawking.

A large tawny golden bird sat at the bottom of a tree with its one wing stuck out to the side. The stuck out wing had what looked like fishing line wrapped around it. Natsume began making comforting noises and explaining that he just wanted to help the frightened bird. It looked like it was some type of eagle or falcon, thankfully it seemed to be just a normal bird and not a ayakashi. The bird stayed still as he got closer and he was able to quickly and carefully remove the fishing line. As soon as it was off the bird started flapping like crazy to take off in the sky and in all the fuss scratched along his arm. Natsume cradled his cut arm to his chest and decided he should head back home. The scratch itself wasn’t to bad, he’d had worse from his dealings with ayakashi but he figured since this was a normal bird he probably had to be careful about infection.

By the time he made it home it was close to lunch time and he heard Touko san call out a welcome home and come out of the kitchen as he was taking off his shoes.

“Oh my Takashi kun what happened! You’re hurt! Go sit in the living room while I grab the first aid kit.”

“Touko san thank you, my arm really hurts. I helped untangle a bird from some fishing line and got hit with one of its talons.” Natsume slapped a hand over his mouth. That was not what he was going to say. He had planned on telling her that he was fine and could take care of it himself. After all he was always getting hurt from his encounters with the ayakashi and he had learned more then his fair share of first aid over the years. What on earth was going on.

While Natsume was in the middle of freaking out over his slip of the tongue Touko san returned. “Ah you were helping a bird, that was very kind of you Takashi kun but you have to remember to be careful. After all you can’t continue to help people if you end up getting hurt and need help yourself. Shigeru san is always telling me the same thing whenever I see a hurt animal after all. There is your arm feeling a bit better now.” Touko asked as she finished wrapping Natsume’s arm.

“Yes Touko san it is much better. I always feel much better after your help. Sometimes I wonder if this is what it is like to have a mother.” Natsume’s eyes went wide as as he answered Touko san’s question. While the rest of it was true he had never wanted the thought to leave his head.

Touko san on the other hand seemed to be overcome with emotion. She threw her arms around Natsume and pulled him into a tight hug. “Thank you Takashi kun. I am so glad that you feel welcome here. You are a part of this family now. Now why don’t you go and wash up before lunch” Touko san said as she pulled away to see Natsume’s beet red face.

Natsume not trusting his voice just nodded and bolted up the stairs to the sound of Touko sans laughter.

Once in his room he was greatly relieved to find Nyanko sensei already in the room. He may have been angry at him but he knew he could help with this. Before he could get a word out however Nyanko Sensei started in on him “Where were you brat. I can’t very well body guard you if you aren’t near me!”

“I ran out of the house and into the woods and heard a loud squawking and followed it. It was a bird that was stuck and I helped it but it scratched me and now pretty much everything I think I end up saying!” the truth comes spilling out.

It takes a moment but eventually the meaning of Natsume’s words penetrate Nyanko sensei’s brain and his eyes widen. “What!! I leave you alone for 10 minutes and you go and get yourself cursed. Idiot Natsume haven’t you learned the difference between ayakashi and regular animals yet?”

“Sensei we both know I would have helped even if I had known it was an ayakashi.” Natsume sighed before realizing what he said.

Natsume could almost see the angry tick mark beginning to form on Nyanko sensei’s head before the lucky cat let out a huff. “You really aren’t anything like Reiko. Stay here idiot I’m going to go get Hinoe, she knows more about this stuff then me.”

Natsume let a small smile form that slowly turned to one of horror. “Sensei I can’t stay here what if I say something weird to Touko san. I” he was cut off by shout from Touko san.

“Natsume your friends are here. They have your backpack I’m sending them up. I will bring some snacks up for you in a bit”

Natsume’s hands flew to his mouth in an attempt to muffle the sentence he just knew was about to fall from his lips. After all he was still a bit angry at his friends and he was pretty positive that they weren’t actually friends anymore, but he couldn’t just shout that down the stairs. It would be incredibly rude. Thankfully Nyanko sensei seemed to realize how awful a honest Natsume could be right at that moment and jumped at his face, knocking the boy down and covering his mouth with his fluffy body. While that did sufficiently muffle Natsume’s voice it painted a fairly odd picture for his two friends who choose that moment to open his door.

Taki and Tanuma took one look at the scene and before anyone knew what happened Taki was tackling Nyanko sensei off of Natsume in a tight hug (aka chokehold).

“Natsume are you alright! Ponta what were you trying to do suffocate him!” Tanuma exclaimed in worry.

Before Nyanko sensei could explain the story the entire ordeal came spilling out of Natsume’s lips. Natsume finished his explanation with, “and that’s the story, but why do the two of you care. I know how upset you were and you made it clear that you weren’t happy with me. I understand that being friends with me can be tough and you can’t take the lies anymore. People can only take so much before they realize I’m just too much trouble to deal with.”

Since Natsume turned his gaze towards the floor as he finished his explanation he didn’t see his two friends exchange looks as Taki’s eyes began to fill with tears. Which was why he was completely blindsided when he was suddenly tackled by three bodies all of which were talking over each other but were saying such similar things the meaning was easy to make out.

“We love you, you are worth it, we only want to help, don’t push us away, you will always have a place here, nothing you could do would change that.” As Natsume let the voices and feelings of his friends wash over him he became aware that the third presence was not actually Nyanko sensei like he first thought but was instead Touko san.

“Touko san what! When did you come in?” and he was instantly hit with another bout of not having any brain to mouth filter. “Oh my how much did you hear? Did you hear about the ayakashi?” at the mention of the ayakashi he was able to cover his mouth to keep from saying more. However, he had grown impossibly pale and was looking at Touko san with wide eyes.

“I’m sorry Takashi kun, but you don’t have to worry. Remember what I just said. Nothing and I mean nothing could make you lose your home here with us. I was coming to bring you kids snacks when I heard your story about what happened with the bird that scratched you. As far as the ayakashi, I may not have known that that was what you saw but I’ve long known you could see something. You told me about my friend crow’s beautiful white mate after all.” Touko san explained with a gentle smile.

In the face of that smile Natsume couldn’t help but feel reassured. “You all really mean that. You aren’t mad?” and was greeted with a chorus of no’s. Natsume knew there would be consequences of all this in the future and he was still worried about causing his new family and friends worry or putting them in danger but for just that moment he felt like everything would work out just fine.

Of course that was the exact moment that Nyanko sensei decided to open his mouth. “Yes if all you humans are done with your emotions we do still have a curse to break.”

“Oh my the kitty can talk!” Touko san exclaimed. “Well that is adorable. Oh my does that mean you are an ayakashi kitty? Is the food we’ve been giving you even healthy for you to eat?”

Natsume watched with fond exasperation as Touko san took the fact she had had an ayakashi living under her roof with all the care of a worried mother and couldn’t help but think again about how grateful he was to find himself in her care. Never in his wildest dreams did he think that this conversation would ever go this well. “Touko san your food is fine for sensei. He always says you make the best snacks, but we really need him to help with my curse. I can’t tell you how happy you’ve made me. I never expected,” he tried to cut himself off before he embarrassed himself any further.

Thankfully Touko san took one look at him and his friends and seemed to understand. Before his treacherous mouth could continue she cut in. “You are right Takashi kun. Kitty do you know a way to help Takashi kun? I know I would not want to have to say everything that is going on in my head as well. I think I would be quite embarrassed.”

Nyanko sensei huffed. “As I was telling Natsume before everyone burst in here I was going to go ask someone more versed in curses for help. You all stay here and I’ll be back shortly.” With that Nyanko sensei jumped out of the window and headed off to the forest.

Sensing the nerves in the room and by judging Natsume’s body language Touko san made the executive decision to give Natsume a few moments to himself. “Oh my when I rushed into the room I dropped the snacks and tea I made outside of the door. Tanuma kun, Taki chan will the two of you come downstairs with me and help make more snacks and tea? Takashi kun if you could clean up the mess I made?”

Taki and Tanuma instantly agreed and headed down the stairs after a soft touch to Natsume’s shoulder and a quick reassurance that everything would be alright. After they made their way out of the room Touko san moved over to Natsume and placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “I know this must be very hard on you Takashi kun and I know you may not believe me yet but I believe you and I want you to know this will always be your home.” With that final statement Touko san stood up and left the room before Natsume could respond. She didn’t want to invade his privacy any more then she already had and she hoped that now that she knew his biggest secret he would start coming to her more often. Next to the worry of getting the curse lifted her biggest worry was about letting Shigeru san know about what was going on, as she could never keep a secret from him but also didn’t want Natsume to feel as if she betrayed him. She knew he would take it just fine. After all he had suspected Natsume’s sometimes odd behavior might have something to do with spirits for a long while now. Ever since there was that peculiar drawing outside of the house that one time. Maybe now that she knew what was going on Natsume would tell her about that incident, but she wouldn’t push. She knew things like this took time after all.

Natsume took his time cleaning up the spilled tea and snacks in the hallway while listening to the soft noises and voices floating up from the kitchen. He still didn’t know what to think. Until he came to this sleepy little countryside town no one had ever believed him about the ayakashi. He had always been viewed as strange and frightening but here and now he was finally able to just be and he was learning more and more about himself every day. The start of this break had certainly been memorable. He had to admit though that he was more than a little glad that he had some time to adjust to this seemingly new world, where people actually believed him and cared enough about him to become angry, before he would need to head back to classes. He knew now that Touko san knew she would insist on telling Shigeru san and as much as that thought filled him with dread he couldn’t help but think that everything would turn out all right. After all he already had Touko san’s support.

After finishing cleaning up the mess he headed back down into the kitchen. The next several hours were spent talking and joking. Touko san, Taki, and Tanuma did their best to keep their conversation light and impersonal in an attempt to protect Natsume’s privacy. There were a few times that Natsume had to get up and leave the table for fear of saying something that was just too embarrassing but for the most part conversation flowed easily. The three were highly amused that without his normal filter Natsume was much more sarcastic and a bit snarky but he didn’t seem to notice it himself and no one wanted to bring it up in case he would attempt to censor himself again.

Eventually Nyanko sensei returned with Hinoe, who of course found the whole situation hilarious. Especially when after examining the wound she let out an incredulous laugh, only to explain that Natsume wasn’t actually cursed. Between looking at the wound and hearing a brief description of the encounter and what the ayakashi that he helped looked like she explained he had actually helped a local god. A god that just so happened to be a god of truth. Natsume was most likely affected by the god’s power when he touched the wing while trying to untangle the god from the fishing line and that the effect should wear off by the morning. Natsume diligently explained everything Hinoe had told him to a worried Touko san, Taki, and Tanuma. As soon as he finished the relived trio started ushering him up the stairs to get ready for bed. Insisting that if it was sleep and time that he needed he should start right now. After all it wouldn’t hurt if he slept a little longer than usual as he always seemed so tired.

In the end he found himself in his futon with the lights turned off and Nyanko sensei curled up next him as a silent guard. He just couldn’t say no to Touko san after all she had done for him. As he wished Nyanko sensei good night he couldn’t help but fall asleep to thought of his future in this warm home.

**Author's Note:**

> I hoped you enjoyed this story. It is the first story I've worked on in a long time and the first story I've actually ever posted. I had a lot of fun with this so I hope you enjoyed it. Constructive criticism is always welcome.


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